You're Not the Boss of Me: 5 Annoying Things Your Brand Says and How to Fix Them

Your brand is like your child. You nurture it, give it time, attention and care … and sometimes it pays you back by whining!

Do you feel like your business doesn’t have a “real” brand?

That’s ok: this post will help you get well on your way to creating a brand that supports your business and leaves a great impression.

5 Annoying Things Your Brand Says and How To Fix Them

1. “I’m Scared: Can I Leave the Light On?”

Creating a memorable brand is scary. Every time you decide to take a specific direction, you eliminate other options.What if you don’t get it right?

And yet, in order to have a memorable brand, you have to embrace this uncertainty and move ahead with specific copy, a tagline, colors and a graphic style.

How can you make these decisions with confidence? Oftentimes we have internal issues that hold us back from fully expressing our business message. We might feel shy, or lack conviction about our products and services. Working through these internal blocks first helps create an atmosphere where we can work on the external aspects of our brands with confidence.

2. “I’m Bored!”

Brands exist to imbue a company with personality. If your brand looks and sounds like your competition, you’re losing an opportunity to reach prospects and draw them to your business. It takes guts to create a memorable brand, because it means you have to be willing to be different. But a bland brand won’t get you anywhere, so take a chance and create unique messages and graphics for your business.

3. “You Never Let Me Do Anything!”

Are you doing enough to promote your business? No brand likes to sit home while the others are outside playing!

Take your brand out on the road. Talk about it on social media, search out reporters who regularly run stories about mom-owned businesses, and coordinate your tasks with a marketing calendar so your ongoing efforts pay off.

4. “Buy That For Me!”

Purchasing stuff feels productive, doesn’t it? And shopping for new colors or a different tagline may be exactly what you need to do right now.

But it can also be a great way to procrastinate while you avoid doing other, more important tasks. Once you’ve made your branding decisions, don’t keep making them over and over again. Stick with your choices, and apply them consistently over time for maximum impact.

5. “Are We There Yet?”

You’re ready to see the results of your branding efforts. Where are they?

Just like road trips with young kids seem like they take an eternity, the results of your branding efforts may seem like they’re never going to show up. This is where the patience you’ve developed as a parent will come in handy. The results of your parenting efforts don’t appear until your child goes out into the world and starts making decisions on her own. The results of your branding efforts will only start to show up once your brand has been out in the world representing your business for a while, too.

Consistent parenting over time is how you’ll see great results, and consistently nurturing your brand is the only way to watch it flourish. Have patience, and stay the course.

Take Time to Get it Right Now

If your company doesn’t have a “real” brand, or you feel like your brand needs help, get your brand in shape as soon as possible. Once you have a brand message and image you’re happy with, nurture it over time. Before you know it, your brand will grow into a mature entity that stops saying annoying things, and becomes the face of your business out in the world.

this was some very helpful tips. they are so onpoint. Thanks so much Pamela for a well thought out post and much needed. I will be sharing this on my facebook, fan page as well to my mommy entrepreneurs.